Whittier Opens Council Meeting With Colima Brush Fire Update and Emergency Alert Push

Flames and smoke rise from the Colima-area brush fire near the Puente Hills Preserve. Image credit: City of Whittier / screenshot from City of Whittier Instagram video.

WHITTIER, Calif. — The Whittier City Council opened its June 23 meeting with a focus on the recent brush fire near Colima Road, moving a presentation from the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority to the front of the agenda so residents could hear directly from officials involved in the response.

Mayor James Becerra said the presentation order was being adjusted because of the recent fire, allowing the Habitat Authority to speak before the Pride Month proclamation and Poet Laureate recognition.

Andrea Gallo, executive director of the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority, appeared with ecologist Michelle Mariscal and Deputy Chief Ranger Ken Hughes from the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which contracts with the Habitat Authority for ranger and maintenance services.

The Habitat Authority manages and protects open space in the Puente Hills Preserve, including more than 1,700 acres of City of Whittier properties. Officials described ongoing habitat restoration, wildfire preparedness, trail maintenance, emergency access work, and fuel reduction efforts near homes and trails.

Hughes said rangers responded to the Colima-area fire and assisted with spot fires after Los Angeles County fire engines had already arrived. He said rangers also evacuated the Arroyo Pescadero Trail, secured the area, and checked in through the incident command system.

According to Hughes, the Los Angeles County arson investigator later said the cause of the fire was undetermined.

City officials later returned to the issue during the City Manager’s report, thanking the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Department, Whittier Police, emergency management staff, communications staff, and the Habitat Authority for their response.

City staff said the incident underscored the importance of ongoing public safety projects, including the effort to rebuild Fire Station 17. Staff said funding through Los Angeles County Measure E has been identified to move that project forward and that the rebuild is expected to strengthen first-response capabilities with the addition of a Type 3 fire rig.

Staff also said a helihydrant at the Savage Canyon landfill is expected to become operational in the next few weeks.

Emergency communication was also a major point of discussion.

Staff said that once Whittier Police notified the City of the incident, emergency management protocols were activated and updates were shared through City social media, the City website, the email notification system, and the Whittier 365 application.

According to staff, City updates reached about 125,000 accounts and generated about 300,000 views within the first four hours. Staff said the updates later accumulated about 600,000 views and reached nearly a quarter-million accounts.

Staff also said a Whittier 365 notification was sent to about 8,100 devices and that an email notification was delivered to more than 1,700 subscribers.

Council members asked staff to explain how residents can sign up for emergency notifications. Staff said residents can download the Whittier 365 app through the Apple or Android app store and enable notifications through their phone settings. Residents can also sign up for e-notifications through the City website by selecting the e-notifications option at the top of the page.

Council members also asked staff to provide clearer instructions to the public, including guidance for residents who have the app but may not have push notifications enabled.

Another concern raised during the discussion was language access. One council member noted that the City’s social media alert was not posted in Spanish and said emergency information should be shared in both English and Spanish when possible.

Council members also suggested additional public service announcements on fire and emergency preparedness, including reminders about how residents can prepare before the next emergency.

The discussion followed written public comment from a resident who criticized the timing of the City’s brush fire communication and called for an emergency text or call program that residents could opt into.

The City’s response shows that Whittier is using multiple communication channels during emergencies, but the discussion also revealed gaps residents may still face if they do not know how to subscribe, have app notifications turned off, or rely on Spanish-language information.

Whittier 360 News Network will continue following the City’s emergency communication efforts, the Station 17 rebuild, and wildfire preparedness planning in the Puente Hills area.